Scheme to woo home S'pore's top scientists

PM Lee Hsien Loong granting an interview session with Singaporean reporters as a closing address to the APEC Summit 2013 at Sofitel Hotel in Nusa Dua Bali, Indonesia. Singapore wants to woo home its top scientists working overseas, with measures such as full funding support for research work and help to set up labs at universities here. Announcing the initiative, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said The Returning Singaporean Scientists Scheme is to "anchor research capabilities and grow the Singaporean core in R&D".

Scheme to woo home S'pore's top scientists

Singapore wants to woo home its top scientists working overseas, with measures such as full funding support for research work and help to set up labs at universities here.

Announcing the initiative, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said The Returning Singaporean Scientists Scheme is to "anchor research capabilities and grow the Singaporean core in R&D".

PM Lee made the announcement after the high-level National Research Foundation's (NRF) Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council met on Friday afternoon.

Chaired by PM Lee, the council comprises Cabinet ministers, local and foreign business leaders and science experts.

It was formed in 2006 to guide national research and development strategy.

While Singapore has strong research capabilities and a pipeline of researchers, PM Lee said: "To make further progress, we'll need good people, good research programmes and then we'll be able to get good research outcomes."

PM Lee also unveiled $330 million worth of programmes to boost the nation's cybersecurity R&D and innovation capabilities in four emerging areas.

The Returning Singaporean Scientists Scheme will provide funding for research conducted here by Singaporean scientists coming back from overseas. These scientists, who are head-hunted by local research institutes and universities here, are likely to take on leadership positions such as heads of laboratories or institutes.

The NRF said it has not set aside a fixed budget nor a time limit for the scheme, which was quickly welcomed by the scientific community here.